Oh, How the Tables Have Turned
by 1927
Summary: Mitchie is a small-town girl starring in her first DCOM, Camp Rock! Shane is a high-maintenance popstar - who happens to play her love interest. Shane/Mitchie - Hiatus.
1. Goodbye, Small Town Girl

**Oh, How the Tables Have Turned  
**_Chapter 1 – Say Goodbye to that Small-Town Girl  
_

"Mitchie!" Mrs. Torres yelled up the stairs, glancing once again at the clock. "You better get down here NOW, or you're going to be late for the meeting with the producers!"

"Coming, Mom!" Mitchie yelled back, taking one last look at herself in the mirror. Her straight, long brown hair hung loosely at her sides, and her bangs were ruffled messily across her forehead. She yanked at her button-down plaid shirt nervously and adjusted her skinny jeans before sprinting out of the room, her grey Converse thumping on the stairs and announcing her presence.

"Hurry, Mitchie! We have a four-hour drive to Los Angeles ahead of us!" her mom urged, and Mitchie giggled at the anxious look on her face.

"Relax Mom, we've got time!" she said, heading to the fridge and pouring herself a glass of orange juice, looking much less nervous than she actually felt. Today, she would finally get to start living her dream of being an actress and a singer. She'd been in a few commercials and done some minor roles on Disney Channel miniseries, but this was really going to be her big break. She had been ecstatic when she'd heard that she'd landed the role of Demi Lovato in the newest Disney Channel Original Movie, Camp Rock. And the best part of all was—she would get to _sing_ in the film, and record a few songs for the soundtrack! Although on the outside she'd managed to keep her cool, she was practically about to explode with anticipation on the inside.

"Oh c'mon, Mitchie! I know you're just as excited for this as I am," her mom wheedled, grinning hugely at her daughter. Mitchie felt a small smile coming on as she turned to face her mom.

"Well…okay, you got me. I can't WAIT!" Mitchie squealed, practically jumping up and down. Her mom laughed as she grabbed her into a bear hug.

"_There's _ the Mitchie I know!" she said, "So let's go then! Are you sure you packed everything? You're going to be filming there for a whole two months, Mitch!"

Mitchie grinned as she chugged down the last of her orange juice. "I'm sure, Mom," she said, as she headed for the garage, towing her suitcase behind her.

Today was going to be the best day of her life, she could already tell. It was the start of a brand new beginning, and the start of her career. If this went well, Mitchie Torres would be a household name! She could have Mitchie Torres dolls, Mitchie Torres notebooks...the possibilities were endless. And who could forget the fact that she would have her own _dressing room_? She'd _never_ had her own dressing room before. And obviously, Disney Channel was paying for fantastic living accomodations while she and the crew were filming. And last, but _certainly_ not least--today she would get to meet her co-stars, who she hoped would become fast friends. Who knew, if she was lucky, she might even start dating her love interest in Camp Rock in real life! After all, wasn't that what all movie couples ended up doing? Mitchie couldn't wait.

**_Oh, poor, sweet, innocent Mitchie. If only you knew what was coming your way._**

* * *

"You must be _JOKING_ me."

A look of pure fury was etched across the handsome face of Shane Gray, his eyebrows furrowed deeply together in annoyance. His icy eyes practically shot daggers, and his perfect lips were pursed as if he might allow a low growl to slip between his blindingly white teeth any minute.

"N-no sir, Mr. Gray, I would n-never joke about such a thing. Y-you're due to m-meet with the p-producers any m-minute."

Shane glared straight at his puny manager, who was practically cowering under his gaze. Normally his manager gave in within seconds--he was powerless to the bitingly sarcastic pop-star who made girls swoon and boys recoil in fear. His hands shook nervously, backing up slowly from Shane, but he refused to change his words.

"I-I'm so sorry, s-sir. T-they've m-made it clear that if you don't show up t-to this meeting, they'll w-withdraw from your newest a-album contract."

Shane rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Do you _understand_? I'm a SINGER, not some peppy _Disney Channel _actor!" he spat, practically shuddering at the two words that had ruined so many stars before him. _Disney Channel_? He might as well be sentenced to a lifetime in prison, give away all of his fortune, and sell his soul to the devil. Or rather, sell his soul to the Hannah Montana worshipping bubble-gummy adolescents. Ugh. He'd _rather_ sell his soul to the devil.

He had known his pathetic, nervous wreck of a manager was an idiot--but this was too much. His manager opened his mouth to stutter out an excuse again, but Shane cut in before he could waste another moment of his time.

"Fine," he said curtly, his eyes blazing. There was clearly no way that his manager could do anything for him--let alone form a coherent sentence. Shane's tone could practically make icicles form in your mouth in the middle of July. "Now go away. I'm done with talking to you."

His manager wrung his shaking hands together and attempted a jerk of the neck that might have been meant to be a bow, before leaping up and walking away as fast as his stubby legs could carry him. Shane almost laughed at the sight, before he realized that the situation wasn't funny at all. This could be the end of his career.

**_Oh, cheer up Shane. Disney Channel isn't any worse than your lame cookie-cutter popstar stuff. Boo-hoo._**

**_

* * *

  
_**"Oh. My. God." Mitchie breathed, her heart practically stopping at the sight.

She and her mom stepped out of the car, taking in the picturesque scene before them. They stood just feet away from the dock of a gorgeous looking lake, shaded by a group of leafy trees. Behind them, far off in the distance were a few small wooden cabins, and a giant sign that proclaimed CAMP ROCK in large lettering was planted at the entrance.

"I see you've found your way out to the set," said a voice from behind them, and Mitchie spun around in surprise.

"Dave Fletcher," a tall man said, extending his hand in greeting, "Director of Disney Channel Original Movie--Camp Rock."

Mitchie shook his hand in awe, trying not to gape at the polished-looking man in front of her. He simply grinned at her, and Mitchie felt herself growing a little more comfortable. She didn't think she'd ever get over all of it though. Yesterday she'd been at home trying (and failing) to write yet another cheesy love song, and today she was standing in front of a famous director and was about to star in a movie. She shook her head in disbelief, finally opening her mouth shyly to speak.

"The set is...beautiful." she said, smiling weakly, "I've never been to camp before, but this is just how I would imagine it."

Dave laughed warmly and nodded. "We've been working on it for quite some time--we wanted it to be as realistic as possible. Actually, you've got some time to explore the set if you'd like, the meeting with the producers has been pushed back another hour!"

"Oh!" Mitchie said lamely. "Well, I'll just..." she trailed off, not knowing what to do.

Luckily, Dave grinned and said, "I'm going to head to the offices out back. Why don't you say bye to your mom now, and then you can hang around the campgrounds for another hour just to get a feel for things?"

Mitchie nodded gratefully and waved as Dave trekked up the hill towards the Disney Channel studios. She turned to her mom, suddenly filled with nerves. She was surprised to see tears in her mom's eyes, and she was glad that Dave had let them have a private goodbye.

"I'll miss you so much while we're filming, Mom," Mitchie whispered as she allowed her mom to hug her tightly.

"And you know I'll miss you," her mom responded, still hugging her, "I'm so proud of you, Mitchie."

Mitchie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the "I'm so proud" speech she'd received all too many times before arriving here on the set. Instead, she just nodded and waited for her mom to carry on. Surprisingly, she seemed to be done with the speech and went straight on to the goodbye part.

"You'll call me every chance you get, right honey?" her mom asked, and Mitchie nodded.

"Every chance." she grinned, and her mom finally pulled back from the hug.

"Okay then, I'm going to leave now, or else I'll never go."

Mitchie smiled and said, "Love you, Mom. Have a safe drive back!"

Her mom nodded as she got into the car and brushed away tears, waving at her daughter from the driver's seat. Mitchie waved as her mom's silver sedan pulled out of the set of Camp Rock, her last connection with her past-life as a normal, small-town teenage girl driving slowly away. "Bye," Mitchie whispered.

* * *

**A/N: What did you think!? I'm so excited to be writing a Smitchie fanfic (even though Nate will always be my favorite!), and I really hope you guys like it. Thanks for reading! Next Chapter: Mitchie and Shane meet, but it certainly won't be love at first sight, to say the least. Hah. Please review if you'd like me to continue! **_xoxo, Cami_


	2. Not Quite Love at First Sight

**Oh, How the Tables Have Turned  
**_Chapter 2 – Not Quite Love at First Sight  
_

Mitchie had been wandering around the set for about half an hour now, and she still hadn't explored everything. '_This place is huge!_' she thought to herself, walking along the dock once more, '_And busy, too!_' People were crowded all over the place--crew members were setting up tables in the mess hall, bringing in beds to the rustic cabins, and hauling in drum sets and music equipment to the rehearsal halls. But so far, she hadn't seen anyone who looked about her age, or like they might be playing a role in the movie. Exhausted, she dragged her feet up the hill towards the Disney Channel studios. She had seen enough of the set for now. Maybe she could find her room, and start unpacking her stuff. After all, she would be staying here for quite a while--it would be nice to get a head start. And if she was lucky, maybe she would even run into someone up at the studios.

_**You better be careful what you wish for, Mitchie, or you might just get it.**_

As she lugged her feet along the final steps of the hill, she let out a gasp as she saw the giant white building which loomed intimidatingly in front of her. The Disney Channel Studios. She sprang up excitedly, renewed with new found energy. "This is it, Mitchie!" she said to herself, grinning at the thought. Her steps lengthened as she approached the building, practically breaking out into a sprint. She slowed to a stop in front of the double doors, nervously looking around her.

She took one final breath as she reached for the door handle, her hands shaking. As she slammed the door open, she felt it bang to a stop as it came into contact with something--or rather, _someone_ on the other side. She heard a muffled crash and a loud male voice cry, "OW!" from behind the doors, causing her to immediately go into panic mode.

"Oh my God!" Mitchie yelped, leaping inside and running towards the noise. A rather tall, light-skinned boy was pulling himself up from the floor, shaking his head disorientedly. His jet black hair fell messily into his eyes, obstructing Mitchie's view of his face.

"I'm so sorry!" Mitchie shrieked, extending a hand to help him up. "Are you okay!?"

The boy's head shot up at her, and Mitchie cried out in surprise as his eyes met her own. Her hand lept back on impulse, her head snapping to look away. She fought the urge to run as fast as she could, anything to get away from those piercing brown eyes. Her entire body was tensed, ready to jump back in fear. Was that..._hatred_ in his eyes? How could he hate her? He had just met her, for crying out loud! And how could one look hold that much undiluted anger? Mitchie shook her head confusedly. It had to have been a trick of the light. Still, a wave of anxiety shook her whole body as she looked past him nervously, trying to avoid eye contact.

"You _should_ be sorry," he barked, as he got up, pushing her aside. Mitchie gaped at his back, completely in shock. Who did he think he was?

"Wh-what?" she sputtered, at a loss for words. Mitchie cursed herself for acting like such a nervous wreck. He continued to strut away, and suddenly anger began to bubble up inside her. She wasn't just going to take that! All thoughts of avoiding eye contact were thrust aside as she grabbed him fiercely by the shoulder and pulled him back towards her. "_Excuse_ me?" she mustered up the courage to say, her previous fear replaced with outrage.

Slowly, the boy turned to face her, his body tensing up at her touch. His head spun around in slow motion as his face came into full view for the first time. "Oh!" Mitchie cried out, taking a step back, her eyes widening in recognition.

_Shane Gray?_

A smirk spread across the boy's porcelain features, and a low, musical laugh escaped from his flawless lips. It might have been beautiful if it didn't sound so cruel. All of a sudden, he closed the gap between himself and Mitchie in one, fluid stride. Mitchie's breath hitched in her throat as a blast of minty breath and expensive cologne hit her from all sides. She wanted more than anything to look away, but her eyes only grew wider as he stared unblinkingly at her, dangerously close to her face.

"_You heard me_," he whispered. The devilish grin on his lips was almost playful, but the look in his eyes was far from that. Mitchie couldn't breathe.

This was the boy whose songs she had fallen asleep to for the past year? The boy she practically _idolized_? The one who had inspired her to start writing her own music? Mitchie opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. His ice cold eyes continued to bore into her own, drilling holes deep into her and causing her hands to break out into a sweat. He held the same position for what felt like minutes, simply glaring at her through slitted brown eyes. Weren't brown eyes supposed to exude _warmth_?

And then suddenly, as fast as he had come, he turned to leave. His head whipped around, sending a fresh wave of cologne towards her. Mitchie's breath came out in a gasp, rugged and panicked. What the hell did he think he was doing? Mitchie's feet stood frozen in the same spot for minutes, not even taking in her surroundings. "Oh my God," she whispered to herself, her palms still sweating profusely. She had to get out of there.

Her feet carried her through a hallway, moving as fast as she could. Her heart continued to pound erratically, and she walked on without thinking of where she might be going. '_Did that seriously just happen?_' she thought, as she ran up a flight of stairs.

_**Unfortunately, it did. But don't fret, Mitchie, no one ever said it would be love at first sight.**_

Wandering thoughtlessly on, Mitchie began to pick up her pace. She stared down at her feet, almost jogging now, as she tried to sort out her thoughts. She turned a corner, not even thinking about how she was going to find her way back to the studio entrance. As she made a wide turn around the bend, a door sprang open on her left. She tried to swerve to avoid it, but she was simply jogging to fast at this point.

"AHHH!" Mitchie shrieked as the door flung open to hit her, sending her sprawling on the floor. '_Oh my God,_' Mitchie thought, '_What if it's HIM again!?_'

Mitchie shrank back towards the wall as a figure stepped out of the room and towards the hallway. Slowly, she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the worst.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey, you readers. :) Thanks so much for checking out the second chapter of my second 'fic ever. Hope you liked! I apologize for the cliffie. Also, I can't resist advertising (sorry!)--but if you're a Nalex fan, please check out my other fanfic, **Everything We've Known**. It would really mean a lot to me! And to those of you who have already read that--I LOVE YOU. Heh. :P

And now, more importantly--WHAT DID YOU THINK!? Can you say **tension** between Mitchie and Shane? Haha. _Lovelovelove, Cami_


	3. Something Called Acting

**Disclaimer: **I forgot to say in the first chapter, but from here on out--I own nothing. Nada, zip, zilch. Capiché? ;)

* * *

**Oh, How the Tables Have Turned  
**_Chapter 3 – Something Called Acting  
_

Mitchie shrank back against the wall, closing her eyes uneasily as the figure stepped out of the doorway. She squeezed her eyes, trying to make out the person's face through her slitted lids.

"Are you...okay?" a voice asked her, blurred through her squinted eyes. Definitely a girl's voice. Unless Shane Gray was not only a gorgeous, ridiculously overrated, rude, jerkish popstar, but also a teenage girl in disguise, this was not him.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she opened her eyes and laughed at the girl standing above her. She had her hands on her hips, giving Mitchie a funny look.

"What are you doing on the floor?" the girl asked, hesitantly reaching out a hand to help her up. Mitchie grinned and simply shook her head, taking the girl's hand as she stood.

"It's a long story. I'm Mitchie," she introduced herself, the feeling of shock slowly wearing out of her system.

"So _you're_ Mitchie!" the girl said excitedly, "I'm Caitlyn, and you must be the star of the movie we're working on together!"

Mitchie grinned. "That's so great. I guess we'll be getting to know each other pretty well, then!"

"Yeah, more than you'd think," Caitlyn grinned, "Because you're also my roommate!" She pointed back to the door she'd just exited from, where a tiny gold plaque read _Mitchie Torres & Caitlyn Gellar_.

"No way! Awesome!" Mitchie said, smiling genuinely. "Lemme just drop off my bags in the room and we can head down to the meeting, okay?"

Caitlyn nodded and tossed Mitchie the keys, then waited for her to emerge again from the room.

"Ready!" she cried, and the two of them giggled and linked arms, running downstairs as if they had been friends forever.

* * *

"Oh my God." Mitchie breathed, goggling at the endless array of pastries and delectable foods arranged artistically on platters in front of her.

Caitlyn and Mitchie stood in front of the giant buffet-style snackbar which had been laid out for the crew and stars of _Camp Rock_. People were gathering chocolate eclairs, fruit tarts, croissants, and cream puffs onto heaping plates and gathering around a long meeting table.

"Alright everybody, get some snacks and settle down, we've got a lot to discuss!" announced Dave, the director, and Mitchie waved at him eagerly.

He laughed and returned the wave before sitting down at the head of the table, motioning for everyone to take a seat.

Mitchie and Caitlyn grabbed two chairs at the end of the table and dove into their food, waiting for Dave to start the meeting.

"First off," he began, "I'd like to introduce myself, some of you may know me, some may not. I'm Dave Fletcher, director of this Disney Channel Orginal Movie, and I'm sure all of us are going to have a great time together! Secondly, I'd like to introduce you to the freshest face of Disney Channel, and our new leading lady--Mitchie Torres!"

Mitchie blinked in surprise as she quickly swallowed a giant bite of a souffle and jumped from her seat. "Uhm, hey everyone!"

The people gathered around the table laughed amiably, and she felt herself relaxing. She could get used to being a movie star.

"I'm so excited to be here," she said eagerly, "And thank you to Dave, who has been so welcoming. I can't wait to get started!" she finished, beaming at everyone around her.

Everyone clapped politely, and Caitlyn let out a loud cheer. "Yeah, Mitchie!" she whooped, grinning as Mitchie blushed and attempted a curtsy.

"Okay, now that you know that Mitchie will be playing Demi Lovato, our main character, I'd like to introduce you all to her co-star, who will be playing Joe Jonas!"

A slightly louder round of applause went up, and Mitchie looked around the room excitedly. She would finally get to meet who would play her love interest for the next few months--and hopefully, if anything sparked from that, a little bit longer as well. Who knew? Maybe they could even become Hollywood's newest couple! She could just see the headlines now - _True Love Sparks from Camp Rock Co-stars! _- or - _Disney's Freshest Face and Handsome Mystery Co-star Become New It-Couple!_ Mitchie grinned. Maybe they could even have those couple nicknames, like Brangelina! She sighed happily as she scanned the room once more. Wait, really, who was he?

Dave frowned as he too looked around the room, furrowing his brows. "Where is that boy?" he asked, scratching his head and glancing down at his watch.

Suddenly, the door to the room flung open casually as a boy entered, his back towards Mitchie.

"There he is!" crowed Dave, sounding over-the-top cheerful. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for..."

Mitchie turned to get a better look at the boy, craning her neck as she stared at the head of perfectly straightened jet black hair. Wait a minute. No, it couldn't be. It couldn't, could it?

_**Sorry to break it to you, Mitch, but it so could. And it is.**_

"Mitchie, I'm so happy to introduce you to your new co-star, and the real-life pop sensation...Shane Gray!" Dave cried as the room burst into applause.

Shane turned around to face her, and his eyes suddenly darkened at the sight of her. She gaped, in total shock. _Him? _He was supposed to play her..._love interest_?

"_NO!!!_" Mitchie blurted before she could stop herself, and was surprised to hear the exact same word fling itself out of Shane's mouth.

She took a step back in horror, looking around the room frantically. "No, you don't understand," she said desperately to the staring cast and crew, "I _can't _work with him."

"You can't work with _me_?" he said dubiously, sneering at her. "More like _I _can't work with _you_!"

"You don't even _know_ me!" she spat defensively, her eyes narrowing at him in anger. The whole room watched their fiery exchange in awe.

Shane scoffed and then let out a snort. "As if you know me, _Mitchie_." he jeered, saying her name as if it were pure trash. "It _is_ Mitchie, isn't it?" he asked innocently, widening his eyes. "You see, I don't have to have met you to know who you are. You're just another nobody from a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, who thinks that this Disney Channel movie is going to instantly shoot her into super stardom. Am I right? Because let me tell you, I've already got you pegged as a three-month washout."

Mitchie's jaw fell open as she glared furiously at him. Now he was taking it _too_ far. It didn't even make sense to her–she wouldn't have believed it if he weren't right in front of her, yelling for no apparent reason. All she had done was run into him, and now he had her pegged as a _washout_? He had absolutely no right to say anything like that–and he certainly _shouldn't _have the nerve.

"Well, I may be a washout, but at least I'm not a _sell_out." she snarled, stepping forward menacingly. "And I don't have to know you either–you're just another popstar gone 'bad', who thinks his freshly straightened bangs give him the right to prance around in a leather jacket and order people around. And for your information, I've got you set at about three months before you decide this 'bubble-gum' image isn't good enough for you, and you pull a Britney." She paused, watching his fists clench and expecting steam to come hissing out of his ears. "But you know," she said, finishing with a cheery grin, "Maybe bald _would_ be a better look for you."

Shane made to lunge at her, and Dave jumped up from his seat. "GUYS!" he yelled, breaking the two of them feet apart. "What is _wrong_ with you two?"

"Nothing," Mitchie mumbled defeatedly, feeling embarrassed. "We've already met before, is all."

"Whatever it is," Dave growled, looking much more strict than he had when Mitchie first met him, "I better not see any of this on screen."

Mitchie blinked. In the midst of all that yelling, she'd almost forgotten. How was she going to pretend that she was falling in _love_ with Shane Gray, when he already hated her guts?

_**And the plot thickens. Lucky for you, Mitchie, you're in Hollywood now. And in Hollywood, everything is just an act.**_

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait on the 3rd chapter! I hope you like it--let me know! Review, and I will love you forever. Appealing offer, am I right? ;) _Love, Cami_

Special thanks to Faith, Mollie, Cee, Kim, Christina, faerietaleredux, and more! You've all been so sweet--sorry if I didn't mention you! I love you just the same.


	4. Good Looks & Bad Luck

**Oh, How the Tables Have Turned  
**_Chapter 4 – Good Looks & Bad Luck  
_

"Hi, I'm Alyson. Camper today, top-selling music producer tomorrow. Check me out!"

Caitlyn glanced up from her script and pretended to hit a few buttons on an imaginary keyboard, dropping a beat.

"Laaaame," Mitchie giggled, "You obviously don't know what real talent is, Alyson."

"Hey!" Caitlyn cried, smacking Mitchie playfully. "This is the part where you're supposed to say, 'Cool! I'm Demi', remember?"

Mitchie yawned. "I'm tired!" she whined, shoving her script aside. The two of them had bonded over chick flicks and popcorn late last night in their suite, and now Mitchie's eyes could hardly stay open as they practiced their lines on the set.

Caitlyn shrugged as she grabbed another double-shot espresso from the drinks table set up for the cast. She grinned at Mitchie as she chugged the hot liquid down, her bright eyes sparkling in laughter.

"Take it easy, Gellar!" Mitchie yelped as Caitlyn reached for another.

"You should try them!" Caitlyn protested as Mitchie snatched the drink from her hand. "They're delish."

"_Delish?_" Mitchie repeated skeptically, wrinkling her nose. Caitlyn laughed and shrugged noncommittally again.

"I have word fetishes," she explained, "Don't worry, it won't last long. But speaking of _delish_.." she trailed off, her eyes traveling to the entrance of the set.

Mitchie turned to follow her gaze and practically spat out her sip of espresso.

"Caitlyn!" she barked, glaring at her friend. "You did _not_ just call Shane Gray _delish_."

"Oops," she giggled. "I know he's a jerk--especially after what he said yesterday. But really, I mean, you've got to admit that the boy is undeniably attractive."

"Looks clearly aren't everything," Mitchie muttered, looking back in Shane's direction. He walked with a certain ease, and confidence in himself as he entered the set. One might even call it a strut. She almost gagged as she saw him send a toothache-worthy sugary smile at a blonde chick in the corner. The girl then went on to swoon and practically fall out of her chair in spasms of delight. Mitchie could almost hear her high-pitched giggles from across the room. Okay, so it was true. He was obviously blessed with good looks. But that didn't make up for the fact that he was the most rude, inconsiderate person Mitchie had ever met.

Mitchie groaned inwardly as she saw Shane give the girl a kiss on the cheek in farewell and start to walk onto the set, towards them.

"C'mon Cait," Mitchie sighed, "Let's go back to our room to practice."

"Why?" Caitlyn blinked, "Oh, are we hiding from Full-of-Himself Gray?"

"Something like that," Mitchie mumbled, standing up abruptly from her chair. She had to laugh as Caitlyn scrambled up as well, hurriedly grabbing as many espressos as she could carry.

"Cait, we can get espressos later! Hurry up, I really don't want to run into Shane--"

She heard someone clear their throat and she saw the head of shiny straightened hair in her peripheral vision before anything else. She sighed as she turned slowly to face him, shooting daggers with her eyes. Or so she hoped, anyways.

"Speak of the devil," she muttered under her breath, "And he shall appear."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Shane spat, glaring at Mitchie with equal hatred in his eyes.

_**If looks could kill...**_

"Nothing at all, Shane," Mitchie said sweetly, "I was just thinking that it was nice to see you've still got all the hair on your head this morning."

Shane's eyes flared for a second, and then he clenched his fists, knowing the entire room was watching their every move.

"You better watch your tongue, washout."

"At least my tongue isn't down somebody else's throat, _Britney_." Mitchie spat back, grabbing Caitlyn's arm. "Let's go, Cait."

Caitlyn shot once last fiery look at Shane before she stomped off behind Mitchie, leaving Shane scoffing behind them.

"That's right, walk away!" Shane called after them, and Mitchie rolled her eyes, not bothering to turn around.

Honestly, it was like the boy didn't have a brain. And he always had to have the last word, didn't he? Well, let him have it. It's not like she cared. In fact, she felt bad for comparing him to Britney Spears--it was an insult to her. She'd pick Britney over Mr. "I need hair product, now!" any day.

Mitchie picked up speed as she exited the set, Caitlyn racing to follow her. She reached the elevators and slammed the up button repeated times, too impatient to wait. She groaned in frustration as she headed off towards the stairs, sprinting up furiously as Caitlyn chased after her.

"I cannot STAND him!" Mitchie shrieked, her voice reverberating off the stairwell as she continued to stomp up the steps.

"I mean, seriously, who does he think he is!? That..that..JERK!" she screamed. She took the steps two at a time now, too angry to stay still.

"Slow down, Mitch!" Caitlyn panted, finally catching up. "You said it yourself, he's a jerk. And obviously not worth your time, or your anger."

Mitchie opened her mouth to start yelling again, and then realized Caitlyn was right.

Caitlyn grinned. "And he's _definitely_ not worth this pain in my _calves_!" she added, clutching her legs in pain. "Do you realize how fast we ran up here?"

"Oops," Mitchie giggled, "I guess I just got a little worked up."

"Understandable. But next time, we're waiting for the damn elevator."

"You've got it, Gellar." Mitchie promised, grabbing her keys and unlocking the door to their room. She shook her head as she entered, trying to rid her mind of all thoughts of the self-centered popstar. She had never met anyone who was so good at getting under her skin. She was usually a level-headed person, even kind. But whenever he came around, all of her self-restraint just flung itself out of her system, and she was left calling him immature names and fighting back just as childishly as he. It was partly her fault, she knew. But she wasn't just going to sit there and take it, was she? And that didn't explain why he had been so rude in the first place. He'd practically set out to hate her!

_**You know, Mitch, your skin is not the only thing he's good at getting under...**_

* * *

Mitchie sighed in relief as she let the hot water rush over her skin, relaxing her. She'd only been in Hollywood for two days now, but she was already more stressed than she could have ever imagined. She was having fun too, and it was all a great experience. But it was exhausting to be on her toes every second of the day, on the lookout for Shane. Honestly, she was really sick of her run-ins with him, that usually turned into screaming face-offs. It was nice to just stand in the shower and forget about all of it for a while. And she really had to relax and figure out a way to not let him get to her--because they would start filming tomorrow. She could only hope that they'd do the easy scenes first, preferrably ones _without_ Mr. Popstar Gray.

"This is real, this is me, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.." she sang quietly, shampooing her hair. As cheesy as the lyrics were, she found herself kind of really liking the song. There was something that was still so raw about it, even though it was written by Disney. She only wished that she would be able to sing it with enough conviction when they started recording. After all, she wasn't sure of who she was herself. She knew this was where she wanted to be. But was it where she was _supposed _to be? Was she really cut out for this industry? After all, wasn't Hollywood full of divas just like Shane Gray? It scared her to no end that she might one day become like that. No, she couldn't and wouldn't let herself.

She scrubbed the shampoo out of her hair vigorously, mad at herself for even thinking such a thing. She wasn't going to let any fame go to her head. If she even got any, that was.

Slowly, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, hit with a blast of cold air. She shivered involuntarily as she wiped the steam off the mirror and stared at her reflection. She was the same old Mitchie as usual. Was she really going to let some arrogant popstar get her angry over nothing? It was so unlike her to fight back like that. She just...had to keep her cool, from now on. She was mature enough for that, wasn't she? Maybe if she didn't fight back, he'd forget about it.

_**Sure, Mitchie. Shane Gray is going to "forget" that a nobody from Texas said he'd look better bald. You just keep thinking that.**_

She wrapped a towel around her body as she set out at attacking her hair. Once she'd given up at trying to comb it, she started to search through the cupboards for Caitlyn's hair straightener. She'd said it was a gift from her aunt and that she would never use it, so Mitchie could have it. She frowned as she dug her way through the drawers. She found deodorant, tubes of multi-colored mascara, several pairs of mismatched neon earrings, and a package of bright orange shoelaces--but no hair straightener.

"Caitlyn?" Mitchie called, opening the door to the bathroom. "Where's your hair straightener?"

"What?" Caitlyn called back, jamming out to some techno on her headphones. Mitchie winced as Caitlyn slipped them off, the throbbing beat of the music audible from all the way across the room.

"You're gonna go deaf, Cait!" Mitchie yelped, prompting a scoff from Caitlyn. "Anyways, where's the hair straightener you said I could use?"

"Oh, I lent it to some girl nextdoor. Ella something, I think. You want me to run over and get it?"

"Nah," Mitchie waved it off. "I'll go get it myself. And turn the music down a little, will you?"

"No can do!" Caitlyn cried as she slid the headphones back on. Mitchie laughed and shook her head, sliding on a pair of flip-flops. She debated getting dressed, but then decided that she would just get her clothes all wet if she did that. Besides, it was just nextdoor. She'd just run over, grab the straightener, and come back before anyone noticed. It wasn't like anyone would be wandering around the halls anyway.

She shut the door behind her as she scurried out of the room, realizing it was a little chilly out in the hallway. She rubbed her arms as she knocked sharply on the door to the nextdoor suite, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

Ten seconds passed, and there was still no response. She shivered and knocked again, this time a little harder. Was anybody even in there?

"Come on," she muttered, hopping up and down. She knocked once more and gave up, thinking that this Ella girl was probably down on set. Oh well, she'd just have to deal with her curly hair for a day. A ponytail would have to do. Or maybe she could get Caitlyn to do something special to it? And if all else failed, she could always just wear a hat all day...she stopped as she tugged on the knob to her suite door.

"Ugh!" she cried as she rattled the doorknob, finding it locked. This was just not her day. "Caitlyn!" she yelled, banging on the door, "Open up!"

She rapped on the door impatiently, letting out an exasperated sigh. "C'mon Caity, I know you're in there! What's taking so long!?"

Suddenly she heard Caitlyn from inside, moving around and saying something. The footsteps grew louder, and Mitchie relaxed, waiting for the door to open.

"Finally, Cait!" she said, stepping away from the door. To her surprise, it didn't open. "Cait?" she called, approaching the door again.

Wait a minute. That wasn't talking, that was...singing. And she wasn't just moving, she was...running around? No, dancing! Oh God, she still had her headphones on!

Mitchie groaned. Seriously? Could her luck get any worse? Judging from the volume that Caitlyn listened to her music, she was never going to hear Mitchie's knocking. She groaned once more as she banged her head against the door, partly in frustration, and partly hoping that Caitlyn might hear.

"MITCHIE!" a voice echoed down the hall, and Mitchie jumped back from the door. What the hell?

Footsteps approached from around the corner, stomping towards her. She peered around uncertainly, not sure whether she should be relieved someone was coming to her rescue, or worried that she was standing in the middle of the hallway, banging her head on a door with only a towel on.

"This is NOT going to happen," the voice continued, and Mitchie blinked as she saw two skinny jean-clad legs emerge from the end of the hall. Oh my God.

Definitely the second option. Although 'worried' wasn't exactly the emotion to describe being caught with only a towel to cover her in the prescence of _Shane Gray_.

"I mean, _seriously_," Shane cried, not looking up from the script in his hand, "Did you _read_ the--"

He stopped midsentence as he looked up to gape at Mitchie.

She didn't think she'd ever seen anybody's jaw drop in real life before. She blushed a furious shade of red as she gripped the towel, tightening it around her, but only succeeding in making it a closer fit to her body.

"I..uh, I just.." she started, not knowing what to say. She could have sworn she saw Shane's eyes travel once down her body before he looked sharply away.

Shane gulped. His eyes widened, a mixture of anger and confusion clearly displayed on his face. "What the hell are you doing in..dressed like.._that_ in the freaking _hallway_?"

Mitchie would have laughed, if the situation weren't so horrifyingly embarrassing. The expression on his face was almost comical enough to make her forget about where she was, and what she was wearing. Or more importantly, what she _wasn't_ wearing. _Almost_, but not quite. His face grew red to match Mitchie's, and he seemed unsure of where to look.

"I..I uh, got..locked out." she muttered sheepishly, still holding the towel tightly around her.

"You..got _locked out_?" he repeated, as if he was hearing things wrong. "Oh my God Mitchie, are you totally _insane_!?" he yelled, his face now alarmingly red.

Mitchie backed up against the door, shivering both because of the cold air and fear. Why the hell was he always mad at her? It wasn't her fault that she got locked out! What did it even matter to him? If it bothered him that much, all he had to do was just turn around and leave!

"Sure, okay? Sure, I'm totally insane. I give up on defending myself, because obviously nothing I say is going to change your mind. I don't know why you've decided to hate me for absolutely no reason at all, but you're clearly dead set on that. So why don't you just forget about meeting me, forget about coming up this hallway, and just walk away? I've got it from here, okay?" she said, trying to keep her voice level. As much as she had wanted to keep her tone cold and unemotional, it ended up coming out shaky and frustrated. She blinked back tears, wondering how her luck could be so awful.

Shane stepped back, surprised. He stared at her with shocked eyes, as if trying to read her. She stared back, willing the tears not to come. She'd had it with him. If he thought that he was going to mess up this experience for her, let him try. But she wouldn't allow that to happen.

"Mitchie, I--" he started, but he was interrupted as Caitlyn suddenly yanked open the door, jumping out into the hallway.

"What is going on out here?" she asked, staring at Mitchie first, and then Shane. "Oh, it's _you_." she hissed, putting her hands on her hips. Mitchie found a weak half-smile sliding it's way onto her face. There was so much attitude in such a small package. That was Caitlyn for you.

"I heard yelling, and what do you know?" Caitlyn continued, still glaring at Shane. Mitchie stared at her. Oh, so she hadn't heard Mitchie's desperate cries for help and banging on the door, but she heard their fight? Great, just great.

"I already told him to forget about it, Cait." Mitchie said, exhausted. Suddenly she wasn't in the mood to fight back against Shane anymore. Honestly, she didn't even really want to look at him anymore. And that was kind of saying something, coming from the girl with the Connect 3 posters plastered all over her walls back at home.

"Now that you heard us, we can just go back inside, okay?" she looked at Caitlyn, begging her silently to just drop it. Luckily, Caitlyn seemed to get the message as she nodded slowly and stepped aside so that Mitchie could enter. She gave Shane one last menacing glare before slamming the door shut behind her.

And that left Shane, standing in an empty hallway with a script in his hand, feeling completely and utterly confused.

* * *

**A/N: **HEY! Long time no update! I'm really sorry for that--I left Mitchie and Shane in that meeting room for almost a whole month! Poor them. And of course, I left you guys hanging too! I owe you guys a million apologies. I got really caught up in _Everything We've Known_. But I'll try to make the updates for this quicker! Thanks for being so supportive & understanding!

Hope you liked this relatively longer chapter. Kind of an interesting one, I suppose? I hope people will still read this, after how long it took me to update! Let me know what you think! :) Reviews are always good for encouraging and speeding up the updating process. ;P Also, a quick question--I know I haven't even introduced her as a character yet, but just for future reference in case I decide to: Do you think that Tess should be a mean character? I can't decide if I want her to be friends with Caitlyn & Mitchie, or just a snob as usual. Any suggestions?

Lastly, sorry if the characters were a bit out of character! I found that I'm not very good at writing Caitlyn. Or Mitchie & Shane, for that matter. Hah. And now that this author's note is practically longer than the chapter itself..:P Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed! _xoxo, Cami_


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